When Ellen Ripley's EEV crashed on Fiorina 161, Rains was among those who responded, helping to gain access to the damaged escape pod. Later, he was given the routine task of mapping an abandoned part of the vast prison facility, along with his close friend Boggs and the disturbed inmate Golic. While surveying the dark corridors, Rains noticed that the candles they had lit behind them were being extinguished and was elected to go and relight them. Initially believing the cause was another inmate playing a prank, Rains soon stumbled upon the Dragon, which pounced and killed him. Boggs and Golic found his corpse soon afterwards, a hole smashed through his skull, indicating the Dragon had killed him with a Headbite.

Rains was known to be submissive, indecisive and a follower.[4] However, despite his generally compliant personality, he harbored a particular dislike for Golic, to the point where he would refuse to be involved with him and insult him to others even in his presence.[5]

Rains is one of the few inmates on Fiorina 161 who are not British — he is American.

In the film, it is never particularly clear what Boggs, Rains and Golic are doing when they are attacked by the Runner, although it is suggested they are mapping an abandoned part of the facility. In the novelization, however, it is explained that they are foraging for overlooked provisions, left behind when the facility was shut down.[6]